Home Media Player Controls are wrong!

Can you PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE change the function of the Jump Forward and Jump Backwards buttons while using the Home Media play function? The current assignemnt of these buttons is to skip FORWARD to the next video, or BACKWARD to the previous version, and that is VERY annoying.

The function of these same two buttons when using the remote to view Dish programming is BACK 10 seconds, or forward 30 seconds. These are two VERY DIFFERENT functions on the same button on the same remote while watching video. That is confusing and often very time consuming to correct.

The problem is, EVERYONE in my house often forgets that they are watching a home video, and will hit the jump back button to see the previous 30 seconds as they expect to happen. Except, what you get is the previous video. This is even more annoying because your fast forward and rewind functions are SO bad and often fail. That means if I am 45 minutes into a video, and I forget that I am watching Home Video, and press Jump Back by habbit, I get the previous video. Then, I have to jump forward to the video I was watching and then fast forward to the place I was before, a very time consuming process, which often fails, meaning I have to try again and again to get back to the place I was before.

I would like to see these buttons do the same thing they do while watching Dish content. But if that is not possible, I would much rather see them do nothing over what they do now. The current function is incredibly annoying, and can be easily achieved by pressing STOP and selecting the next or previous video. But there is no function to continue playing a home video from where it was last if you hit one of these buttons.

So please reconsider assigning these buttons to the same functions they have for Dish content, or removing their function all together. With all the bugs still in viewing home videos, this one should be easy to fix. Right now, these errors push me to my Roku unit, and that is just one more reason to give up Dish all together.

Re: Home Media Player Controls are wrong!

You are entitled to your opinion. I have three other boxes that have EXACTLY that function, and I see no complaints on their forums about how the controls work.

But to your point, if they are "out of spec" then assigning NOTHING to the buttons would be better. Regardless of the DLNA spec, if your interface makes using it difficult, then there is a problem with the interface. Since the buttons have difference fucntions the rest of the time, and change only for this use, then the UI is bad because pressing the button you expect to jump forward or backward (the UI has trianed the user that this is what the button does) throws one out of the current video. Getting back to where you were is problematic already (bugs with fast foward and rewind droppping out of the video) if you press one of these.

So OK, not DLNA compliant, but bad interface. So I will request that the buttons simply be disabled (or at least offer me the option to disable them) so that I don't spend so much time trying to get back to the point I was thrown out of the current video.

Re: Home Media Player Controls are wrong!

Just had to check again, and the DLNA spec does include functions for time based seek, which explains how several other boxes have done jump back and jump forward (I implemented it on my mobile app as well) so the API is available to implement the function. I can't find anything in the spec that says Jump Forward and Jump Back are incorrect.

Can you please give me a reference? I am willing to stand corrected on the issue. But still feel the UI would be more friendly if the buttons were disabled or did the functon they do for all other uses.

Re: Home Media Player Controls are wrong!

Agreed. It is quite lame, but if we complain too much they might just pull it all together. It works fairly well connected to a Plex server once you get used to navigating the folders Plex creates. but still has that annoying habit of flushing the buffer when the screen goes all black. Causes parts of the video to be missing.

Re: Home Media Player Controls are wrong!

My point was that there is no DLNA transport control for jumping forward or jumping back a specific interval. There is only a command to seek a particular time code or byte position (not in any way time related). The codes could be simulated if you're keeping track of the time code (or you query the time code) and you calculate the new time code but jumping is a two or three command operation.

If you need a media player, buy a media player. In that way the DISH receiver can do what it was designed to do and not burden it with stuff that takes away from its primary purpose (my Hopper with Sling takes 11 seconds to wake up). You may have to hunt for one that supports skipping forward though.

Re: Home Media Player Controls are wrong!

Harsh, I am very much aware of your earlier point. And my last comment was not in any way about that issue we have discussed before. But thanks for repeating your opinion once again. So I shall too...

I still disagree that the buttons are correct in this instance. As a UI, set-top, and software designer for too many years, non-confusing interfaces should be a top priority. Given that EVERYONE I know who has used this feature is constantly skipping to the next or previous video when they press a button that normally has a different function the rest of the time. As I said, I do not really care if they try and implement a skip forward and back command (depsite the fact the Roku, Amazon Fire, and several Android boxes all do it perfectly well), but rather just stop using those button for next and previous videos. It is very annoying to be 45 minutes into a 60 minute video, you miss something, and by reflex you press the Skip Back button. Their implemntation of fast forward is flawed, and usually errors before getting to the point you started from, so getting back to where you were is painful if not impossible. But the need to go to the next or previous video can easily be handled by pressing STOP and selecting the next or previous video. So why overload the function of two buttons?

Good for you for understand the DLNA spec, but your answer is a typical engineering over function design error. The check is simple: Are people confused by the controls? If yes, the design is flawed, regardless if it is correct n an engineer's mind. Just that simple. Just because the spec does not does not have a specific function does not mean that it necessarily has to be implemented in just one way.

As for "buy a media player", WTF? I would prefer to have less boxes than more, and if a function is going to be offered as a feature in one box, then get implement it well. It was this player that kept me from switching to DirecTV, because I have a lot of videos on a NAS, and I would rather just use one box that works correctly than to keep switching to a difffernet box for different functions. I am sure glad you don't run Dish's customer service, you appear to have zero clue on how to work with customers.

Re: Home Media Player Controls are wrong!

Perhaps you've not contemplated the more important question of if they can't (or don't want to) do it right, why do a media player all all?

I'm pretty sure that Roku and FireTV boxes don't have a skip forward on their standard remotes.

VLC on my Android streamer uses the left and right cursor keys to initiate a 10 second jump either way. Moving between tracks uses the up and down cursor keys.

I think it is silly that DLNA implements a jump relative bytes but not a jump relative timecode but I can pretty easily imagine that they didn't foresee commercial skipping being a thing in media streaming.

I'd love to see a media player remote that is laid out like the old DISH DVR remotes. The Logitech layout is nonsense as it doesn't have a skip forward button either. They put mute on the left side and skip back on the right side. Logitech's premium remote locates the skip button clear across the directional pad from the conventional transport controls.

Re: Home Media Player Controls are wrong!

Yea, I have, and I believe I said as much in the thread. Perhaps you did not follow the entire thread.

Thay can indeed remove the feature because it is problematic. But for me, that is one of the features I use often. and if removed, would make it much easier to switch providers since I would have to get a new box to play home media anyway.

I'm pretty sure that Roku and FireTV boxes don't have a skip forward on their standard remotes

Then you would be wrong in my experience! I am not sure about the new FireTV bozes, I have an older one. But I can jump and skip forward on both boxes. I assume you have them since you seem so sure, so go try it out .

I do not recall on which box, but quick pressing left or right jumps a bit in each direction. Holding it will start a "scan" in that direction. I have not used them for a while (my Roku has taken to crashing a lot on Plex, so I a, using a cheap China streaming box.

I think it is silly that DLNA implements a jump relative bytes but not a jump relative timecode but I can pretty easily imagine that they didn't foresee commercial skipping being a thing in media streaming.

It does not have to be exactly 10 seconds, but the ability to jump some would be excellent. '

But to be clear, what I am really asking them to do is not change the functions of the remote buttons on Home Media.

The jump forward and jump back button are well defined when using Dish, VOD, and OTA channels. In fact, on some streaming channels that go so far as to tell you that the buttons may not work. So they get the idea.

But on Home Media, these buttons skip forward or backwads to the next or previous video. And as much as I know this, I sometimes just pick up the remote and hit jump back because I missed something, only to ave the STB jump back to a previous video. And as I said, trying to get back to where you were is a royal pain in the butt, and often quite time consuming.